It goes without saying that the primary purpose behind wearing a Guardian Cap is to soften blows to the head and help prevent traumatic brain injuries. But after Sunday's thrilling Broncos win over the Rams, every defensive back should consider wearing one for performance reasons.
It could be the difference between an incomplete pass and a reception.
While the Broncos took the lead late in the game thanks in part to a controversial Josh Wallace defensive pass interference penalty, the Rams cornerback was involved in an earlier big play with Jaylen Waddle. The Broncos had a successful two-point conversion in the third quarter when Bo Nix's pass to Waddle narrowly cleared Wallace's helmet.
And when I say narrowly, I mean the pass made it over the helmet
by mere millimeters.
guardian cap breaks this up pic.twitter.com/ovwy7KXdx0 https://t.co/mHVecEDKvv
— Sam Alberti (@sam_alberti) September 28, 2026
Had Wallace been wearing a Guardian Cap, that same pass almost certainly would have fallen incomplete. And though a majority of players opt against wearing Guardian Caps in games for aesthetic reasons, it would make a lot of sense for defensive backs to see past that.
A cornerback would literally benefit from making themselves bigger in defending passes. Add in the potential safety benefits, and it really doesn't make sense to opt against wearing them.
Who knows how the rest of the game would have played out, but the Rams certainly could have used those points to get within range of a game-winning field goal instead of needing a touchdown at the end.
That's something for Wallace to consider. After all, he wears the caps during practice.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jaylen Waddle's catch over Josh Wallace served as another reason to wear a Guardian Cap
